


The Tales of Growing Up in Resembool

by Strength_in_pain



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Child Abandonment, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Comfort, Edward Elric Is A Little Shit, Edward Elric Needs a Hug, Edward Elric Swears, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Edward Elric, Kid Fic, Mud fights, Nostalgia, Parent-Child Relationship, Parental Pinako Rockbell, Spanking, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Winry Rockbell is a Great Friend, Young Alphonse Elric, Young Edward Elric, Young Winry Rockbell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29576418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strength_in_pain/pseuds/Strength_in_pain
Summary: Follow Ed, Al, and Winry through random moments of their childhood.This story will focus on the boy’s childhood and it will range from carefree play, adorable fluff and nostalgia, to grief, trauma, and pain. There will be a lot of hurt/comfort, because hey, it’s the Elric brothers after all.Each chapter will be a one-shot. So please, come and join the fun!
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric & Van Hohenheim, Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell, Alphonse Elric & Pinako Rockbell, Edward Elric & Pinako Rockbell, Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Pinako Rockbell & Winry Rockbell
Comments: 10
Kudos: 21





	1. Mud Fights

**Author's Note:**

> Hello FMA and FMAB fans. I want to start out by saying I know I am WAY behind the times with watching this anime show. But wow was it amazing. OH MY GOSH. Both the 2003 and Brotherhood were equally amazing in my eyes. Each had their own assets, so for my story I am combining them. But again, this story will focus on Ed and Al’s childhood so don’t worry, no storyline will be messed up. 
> 
> Without further ado, I present the first chapter.

Mud Fights

Resembool 

Ed: 6, Al: 5 

A strong gust of wind came to the door with a bang, and rattled the windows. The sky had moulded into a grayish swirl and Alphonse Elric knew it was about to rain. 

He sat by the window, staring out at the outdoor world, wanting nothing more than to play by the lake, but the rain was ruining his plans. 

Today, Al and his older brother, Ed, were playing at Winry’s house. She was their best friend, and not just because she lived so close to them, but because she was sweet, funny, and cheerful. No matter what kind of a day the Elric brothers were having, Winry would always cheer them up. 

Al was waiting by the window to see if it would storm like he thought, or if it was just going to rain. If it just rained then he could still play outside. Mom had a rule about playing in rain versus playing in storms. If it was raining it was okay, but if it was storming, with thunder and lighting, they had to go inside. 

Al huffed a sigh from where he sat, and crossed his arms over his chest. He wished the sky would make up it’s stupid mind already so he could do something other than sit around and wait. He was tired of waiting. Ed and Winry had already given up on waiting and were off playing by themselves. 

Al didn’t want to be left out from playing with his brother, but he also couldn’t let go of his idea to play by the lake, so he slipped away from the window and scurried into the kitchen where Winry’s Grandma, Pinako, was washing dishes. 

“Can we play outside yet?” He asked, tugging on her dress.

Granny looked down at him with her pipe sticking out of her mouth. “Not right now, dear. A storm’s a brewin’.”

Alphonse stomped his foot, frustrated by that answer, and having seen his older brother stomp around all the time when things didn’t go his way. “But I wanted to play outside.” 

Granny chuckled kindly, blowing puffs of smoke out of her pipe. “Why don’t you play a board game.” 

Al scrunched his nose in disgust. A board game wasn’t the same as playing outside! “But -“

“Alphonse Elric. You know the rule. Your mother doesn’t want you boys getting struck by lighting, and personally, I’m not fond of Winry getting hurt either. So you best stay inside, you understand?”

“But what if it doesn’t storm. Maybe it will just rain.”

“Not with that wind, boy.” Granny scrubbed the ceramic plate extra hard to get off the sticky syrup. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and Al wondered if grown-ups ever had any fun at all. “When the wind knocks over lawn chairs and plant pots, you know that thunder and lightning are bound to follow.”

Irritated that things weren’t going his way, Al wondered upstairs into Winry’s bedroom where she was playing with her doll house.

He flopped on her pink and white bed spread and stared at the old wooden fan. Around and around the blades went, creating a nice breeze in Winry’s room. Even if it was about to rain, it was still a hot summers day, and cool air felt nice.

It didn’t take long for Al to realize the room was far too quiet, and he sat up, looking at Winry. 

“Where’s brother?”

“Edward thought it would be a good idea to play with Alchemy instead of dolls!” Winry said in the haughty and dismissive tone that usually got her in trouble with Granny. 

But her explanation made sense to Al because Brother had been obsessed with alchemy ever since he found father’s books in his study and mom encouraged them to practice. Dad was gone for a whole year now, and Mom was really sad. But whenever brother would show her his alchemy she would smile. Al wanted to learn too, because he liked when mom smiled. So brother said he was going to teach him. 

“How can he not want to play dolls?” Winry exclaimed, gesturing to her beautiful purple doll house that had three floors, and several plastic objects scattered in the rooms to resemble a replica of real life. Winry had beds, tables, and bathtubs that her dolls could use. 

“I’m being a doctor like my Mom and Dad.” Winry said. “Which is way more fun than playing with stupid alchemy.”

Al didn’t necessarily agree. Alchemy was really cool, the way it could create things, and fix things that were broken. Al thought there was nothing in the world more fascinating than Alchemy. But then again, he supposed doctors were equally as important because they fixed people. So he nodded with Winry in agreement. 

“Is brother outside?” Al asked hopefully. If his older brother was outside then he too would be allowed to play out in the yard.

“No, he’s in the living room, I think.” 

Al turned to leave.

“Hey wait! Come play with me.”

Al paused. He wanted to play with Winry _and_ Ed. The best way to do this would be to go outside. Because when they were inside they rarely could agree on the same thing to do together. It was always one argument after the next. 

Ed would want to read or play tag or wrestle, and Winry would want to play house or dolls or dress-up. Al never cared what they did just as long as they did it together.

“I want to play with you, Winry. But I don’t think brother will agree to play dolls, and I want to play with him too.”

Winry huffed out a sigh. “But it’s not as much fun playing by myself.”

“Do you want to go outside with me?”

“But it’s raining.” Winry said, glancing toward the window covered in water droplets. 

Al was completely done with everyone telling him about the stupid rain. He _knew_ , okay? He stomped out of Winry’s room fast. 

“Hey wait, where are you going?” Winry picked herself up off the floor, her long pink sundress fluttering as she stood. When Al didn’t respond, she followed him all the way downstairs and into the livingroom. 

Ed was curled on the couch with his nose shoved in a book. Pieces of chalk laid on the floor and a giant circle-like-symbol was drawn on the hardwood.

“Grandma’s gonna kill you if she finds out you scribbled on the floor.” Winry said, plopping herself on the couch, next to Ed’s legs. He outstretched the one, gently tapping Winry’s thigh. 

“It’s not scribbles, idiot. It’s alchemy.”

“It’s still a mess on the floor.”

Ed narrowed his eyes and closed the book he was reading. “I’ll clean it up later. What do you want?”

Winry shrugged. “I think Al wants us to play something together.”

“Fine. But I’m not playing dolls.”

“Aw, why not?” Winry whined. 

“Because it’s boring and you’re all controlling when we play.”

“I am not controlling!” Winry snapped.

Brother sat up, and placed his book on the end table, his lips curling upwards. Al knew that look. Ed always got that look before he did something stupid or mischievous.

“You are too.” 

“Am not!”

“Are too.”

“I want to play outside.” Al said quickly, stopping the petty fight before it escalated. He waited to see what Ed’s reaction would be, hoping that it would be one of delight. But instead, brother shook his head with a small laugh. 

“You’ve been dying to play out there ever since Kristy Buchanon dared you to balance on the fallen branches.”

It was Al’s turn to cross his arms. “She did it for five whole minutes!”

“Yeah, so?” Ed raised his eyebrows questioningly. 

“So I have to practice.”

“Al, c’mon, you got nothing to prove. She’s not gonna know if you did it or not.”

Figures. Brother _would_ suggest lying as a solution. He’s the one who told Al to lie about his chores and that got him placed in the corner for an hour. 

“I want to practice.”

Ed sighed. “But it’s raining right now. Just wait until tomorrow, okay?”

Everyone told Al to wait. Granny, Winry, and now Ed. Hopelessly defeated, Al sagged his shoulders and stared at his bare feet. He felt his throat tighten and his lower lip quivered. 

Brother was on his feet immediately. “Hey, hey, hey.” He placed a comforting hand on Al’s shoulder. “Hey, It’s okay. Don’t cry. We can do something else. Something WAY more fun.” 

Despite Ed’s kind words, Al felt the first set of tears slip down his cheeks. Ed quickly wiped them away with his thumb. For a moment Brother stared intently into Al’s eyes, trying to gage the situation. 

“It means that much to you, huh?” Al nodded vigorously. “Alright then. We’ll do it.”

Winry’s eyes were the size of saucers. “Are you serious? But Ed, it’s storming. Granny will be so mad.”

“Then don’t tell her.” Brother said, walking over to the coat closet and swinging the door wide open. Winry and Al followed, waiting as he dug through the huge jackets and coats to find their small rain boots and ponchos. 

“Don’t you think the trees will be too slippery for balancing?” Winry asked, but Al quickly shut down her suggestion with a wave of his hand. “And the creek will be flooded with rain water. Guys, this is a bad idea.”

“You don’t have to go with us.” Ed said, the hood of his poncho hanging in his eyes. He pushed it back, revealing his golden locks, and handed Al his rain boots. 

“Of course I’m going with you.” Winry exclaimed. “We’re supposed to play together, remember.”

“Yeah but, Winry.” Ed paused his fiddling, and turned to look at her. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“I won’t, silly.”

Ed didn’t seem to sure of this, and that made Al equally nervous. 

“Look, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I’m not making you, so don’t blame me if you get in trouble too.”

“I won’t blame you.” She affirmed, blue eyes blazing a hole into their heads.

“Okay, then it’s settled.” Ed smiled, handing Winry a jacket. She put it on proudly, signifying her act of deviance like a scarlet letter. Once they were all set for the weather, the trio ran out the front door, slamming it shut behind them as they dashed down the steps of the white picket porch and onto the dirt pathway.

There was something more invigorating about racing through the rain. Perhaps it was the knowledge that they shouldn’t be doing it, so it made the whole situation more amusing, or maybe it was feeling of cold water slapping against their skin, but either way, the kids were having a great time. 

The rain had quenched the soil from sandy-hues to rich strong browns, and water had pooled on top of the path, so there was nothing else they could do but jump in the puddles.

Al jumped high and landed with both feet. He watched with wonderment as muddy water flew all around him, splashing his brother and Winry in the process. The looks on their faces were priceless, and Al had to stifle his laugh with an arm over his mouth. 

“Ah!” Winry squawked, crunching her nose with repugnance. “That’s so gross!”

Al’s smile faltered, until his brother began whooping and giggling at Winry’s discomfort and their own silliness. 

“Let me try to avenge you, my lady.” He said in a strange voice, no doubt trying to imitate one of the adult men in their village who spoke in a deep sultry accent when talking to their love interest. 

Ed leaped off the ground and a second later, splashed a huge amount muddy water in Al’s direction. A large clump of wet slob hit him in the side of the head and Al screamed in joyous horror. 

“Brother! You jerk.” Al ran to tackle him, but Ed was smart and started running down the slippery path. “Get back here!”

“Gonna have to catch me first.”

Al was aware the mud was slippery when his boots slid an inch but he regained balance and never stopped chasing his brother up the hill. The mud was sloshing and squishing under each step, but Al was determined to catch him.

“Hey! Wait for me.” Winry cried from behind. But Al didn’t have time to look back. His brother had slowed down at the top of the hill. Now was his chance.

“Wait-“ Ed never got to finish his sentence. Al had already jumped towards his brother with outstretched arms. They landed with a hard thud and then skidded down the muddy hill on their backs. 

“Al, you idiot! We’re going to be so filthy.”

Ed was right. By the time they reached the bottom of the hill, their clothes were soaked through with muck. 

But Al didn’t care. The adrenaline rush he had going was so high he was laughing hysterically on his back, staring up at the sky as rain poured down on his face. It was like taking a shower and riding sled at the same time. 

“That was fun!” He said. “Let’s do it again.”

Ed was grinning from ear-to-ear. It looked like he had enjoyed the slide too, despite the back of his hair dripping with mud. 

“You boys are so reckless.” Winry’s voice pierced from on top of the hill. She had her hands on her hips and her mouth twisted in tight line.

She needed to lighten up. Apparently brother was thinking the same thing because he gave Al a mischievous smile, and scooped up a handful of mud. 

Winry’s eyes widened. “Edward Elric, don’t you _dare_.” She pointed a warning finger at him, but that didn’t stop Ed. He swung his fist back, and let the ball of mud fly. It was a perfect shot! Winry’s white face was suddenly dark brown. 

She wiped away the mud from her eyes as if she were flicking away an annoying bee. 

“That’s it.” Winry picked up a large amount of mud and flung it fast in their direction.

“Ahhh!” Ed squealed, turning his back to the mud assault, letting the thick muck land on his upper shoulders and back, rather than his face. 

“Ew! You got it in my ear.” He complained when Winry finally stopped her assault. 

“Serves you right.” The girl said while trying carefully to walk down the hill. She didn’t get far before her legs slipped and she landed on her backside, sliding the rest of the way. 

Ed and Al snickered when she stood up and her dress was muddy and wet right on her butt. Winry blushed, her face turning red, perhaps with embarrassment, but Al only recognized her anger when she shoved him to the ground, face first into the mud. 

She tried to do the same thing to Ed, but he caught her by the wrist and they both fell in the puddle of dirty water. 

Splashing and kicking, the wrestling had started, and before long they were all belly laughing and playfully shoving one another. At one point - and just because he’s a show off - Ed did a cartwheel and Winry cheered before enveloping him in a loving embrace. 

Ed came up from behind Al, and lifted him into the air, spinning him around a few times before dropping him in the mud. This insanity went on for a little while until the three wore themselves out. At last, after hour or so, they collapsed on the wet ground, panting heavily. 

The extraordinary delight slowly faded into discomfort as the rain had soaked them to the bone, and they were now feeling clammy and cold. Al’s teeth began chattering, and his arms wrapped instinctively around himself for some warmth. 

Brother looked like a drenched rat, with his long bangs sticking to his forehead, dripping mud down his cheeks like dirty tears. He tried to wipe away the droplets but ended up smearing more mud under his eyes. 

“Uh-oh.” He said quietly.

“What is it, brother?”

Ed’s face was pinched in between concern and concentration. Al hated it when he had that look on his face. He usually had it right before he got placed in the corner. 

“She’s gonna know we went outside.”

Winry was twisting her hair, and squeezing the water out onto the grass in what was a futile attempt considering the rain was still falling. She glanced at the brothers as they spoke, but said nothing. Sometimes Winry enjoyed sitting back and watching them talk rather than getting involved herself. Al liked that about Winry. She rarely poked her nose into other peoples business if she thought it might be private. It was a respectable approach - one that Al always tried to emulate. 

“But... we can clean up in the backyard. We’ll use the hose.” He tried to bring reason into the equation. 

“How are we going to explain that we’re all wet? Besides, we can’t exactly get rid of the muddy clothes. Face it, Al. We’re not getting out of this one.”

All the fun they had today was suddenly zapped with the emerging threat that hung over their heads: dealing with the parents. 

“How mad do you think she’ll be?” Winry whispered quietly, making Al’s stomach clench with guilt. She shouldn’t have to worry about getting into trouble. It was Al’s idea! He would happily take the blame. 

He didn’t know how to respond, nor did he expect he would have to respond. Brother was the one who usually answered the big questions. Al glanced at him, waiting for him to respond. He had all the answers.

“Pretty mad, I guess.” Ed said at last. 

When a gust of wind slapped him across the face, Al’s teeth chattered harder. He was chilled to the bone. 

“I’m freezing.” Winry whined, saying how they all felt. “Let’s go home. I don’t care how much trouble we’re in as long as we can get a warm bath.”

That’s when it hit him. 

“Hey, why don’t we go to our house.” Al shared his brilliant idea. “Mom won’t be as mad as Granny Pinako would be. She always makes sure we’re okay first before yelling at us, and besides she doesn’t punish us as harshly as Granny does.”

Al thought it was a great idea, and was incredibly proud of himself for thinking of it, but his brother’s expression didn’t change. He kept glaring at his muddy shoes. 

“What do you say?” Al nudged him, and Ed turned his face away, refusing to make eye contact. Al drew his eyebrows together. “Brother?”

“We can’t, Al.” He whispered. 

“But why not? Mom won’t be angry.” Al couldn’t understand what Ed was thinking. This was a foolproof plan, their ticket out, a free-pass. But then, Ed said something that strained Al’s heart. 

“No, but she’ll be disappointed, and that’s even worse.” 

Ed sullenly kicked a rock, then surprised Al when he lashed out in a surge of anger. “I’m not making her sad. She’s sad enough as it is because of _HIM_.” 

Dad.

Al felt his throat tighten at the mention of Dad. It’s been a year since he left, and they have yet to receive a word from him. Al and Mom tried writing letters together, asking him where he went and when he was coming home. But they heard nothing in return. Mom was more tired that ever before, and whenever they talked about Dad, she would smile sadly at the ground and wipe at her eyes. Al wasn’t sure why she wiped her eyes because Mom never cried. She would look up with a smile and tell them everything was going to be okay and that she was fine. 

But brother said that she wasn’t okay. He said she was sad... that she cries a lot in her sleep, and that she’s just pretending to be happy for them. 

“I didn’t think about how disappointed she would be.” Al whispered, looking at the rock his brother had kicked. 

“We’re going back to Granny’s.” Ed declared. He stood and held his hand out to Al. “Come on. It’ll be alright. I promise.” 

Al trusted his Brother no matter what, and took his hand. They walked back home, less excited than when the left, for they knew they were headed into shark-infested territory. 

Winry took them behind the house and unraveled a long blue garden hose. She sprayed cold water on them and Al thought he might get frostbite he was so cold.

“Mmm, Winry. I’m cold.” He whined as she sprayed it directly into his hair. 

“Sorry, Al.” Her eyes were truly apologetic as she watched the dirty water puddle around the concrete of her backyard patio. 

Once Winry was done hosing them down, it was Ed’s turn to clean her off. Despite their best efforts, they were still filthy and in need of a serious bubble bath. 

Titling his head in shame, Al followed Ed and Winry up the porch steps and waited behind them as they opened the door. He felt guilty. He was the one that wanted to go outside, and yet, he was the one in the back, being shielded by his big brother and best friend. It seemed unfair.

“There you are!” Granny bellowed the second they entered her house. “Oh for the love of... what were you doing outside in the storm?!”

“Playing.” Winry answered honestly. Digging her pink boot into the carpet and swaying back and forth. Pinako crossed her arms over her chest. 

“You know better than that. All of you.”

They mumbled some form of apology, none of them bothering to look her in the eye. Staring at grownups when they were angry only led to more fear it seemed. 

“And look at you, dragging mud into my house. I outta take a switch to all of ya.”

Ed winced while Winry and Al took a step back behind him, clutching Ed’s jacket in their hands. Brother stood tall, practically putting his arms out to shield both Al and Winry. It was moments like these that Al appreciated having an older brother. 

Pinako sighed and rubbed her hand over her wrinkly face. “I suppose you nearly freezing to death is lesson enough. Come on. Let’s get you in the tub.” 

Their faces lit up with glee when they realized no punishment was coming, and the three of them quickly began jumping around, and blabbing about how much fun they had. 

“This is the best day ever!” Al shouted.

“I know, I know.” Winry agreed, equally as enthusiastic. 

“Make no mistake, you are never doing something like that again.” Granny warned, immediately squashing their celebration. “You could have been struck by lightning, and lord knows you might get pneumonia tomorrow.”

“Sorry Grandma.” Winry said again, walking over to give her a hug, but Pinako stopped her short. 

“Let’s get you cleaned off first.” She said, ushering Winry upstairs. “Boys, use the downstairs bathroom.” 

As soon as Pinako was out of eyeshot, the brother’s went to work. Ed led Al to the bathroom, and turned on the faucet in the tub.

Al waited patiently for his brother to finish testing the temperature of the water before shivering again. 

“I’m cold.” He said when his brother turned to him. 

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Shuddup.” Al managed a brief smile before breaking into a fit of shivers.

“Okay. Easy.” Ed muttered. “Let me get your shirt off.”

Al whimpered, lifting his arms while Ed pulled off the filthy poncho followed by his t-shirt. Al bent forward as the cold air touched his exposed skin. 

“Jeez, Al. Calm down.” Ed muttered as he quickly ripped off his own clothes, and stepped into the bathtub. Al followed suit once he removed the remainder of his clothing. The warm water felt heavenly against his numbing skin. 

It didn’t last long because Ed was using a plastic cup to dump water over his head which nearly choked him to death. 

Spluttering and coughing, Al turned to his brother with a vicious splash of water. “Warn me next time!” 

“Quite being a baby.” Ed retorted with a roll of his eyes. They’ve been bathing together since they were little. Mom would always tell Ed to cover Al’s eyes when rising out the soap in his hair, and vise versa. 

On the nights when Mom was too sad to give them a bath, sometimes Brother would sit on the bathroom floor by the tub and give Al rubber duckies to play with and keep him company.

As of now, brother was scrubbing his hair harshly to remove all the mud. Al could see the bathtub water filling with a brownish color and clumps of mud floated around. 

“Ow! You’re pulling too hard.”

“I am not.”

“Stop yanking my hair.” 

“Maybe you should cut it!”

“Oh that’s hilarious coming from you.” Al splashed more water at his brother, hoping some of it got in his eyes. Ed was the one with longer hair. It was growing longer each day, and he refused to let mom touch it. It was practically at his shoulders. Well, maybe a little shorter than that, but still, Ed had no right to talk.

“There. All done.” Ed put the plastic cup on top of the water, and leaned back, sighing contently. 

“Today was fun.” Ed closed his eyes. 

Smirking, Al picked up the plastic cup and filled it with clean water. “I agree.” Then, without warning, he poured it over his brother’s hair laughing as Ed splashed and flailed like a fish. 

“Alphonse! You traitor.” Ed snatched Al by the shoulders and dunked him underwater. 

Needless to say, the bathroom was a mess by the time they finished their bath. It looked like a tornado blew through the place. Dirt smudges were on the bathtub walls, the floor was soaking wet, towels thrown everywhere. 

Granny’s face turned a weird shade of purple when she saw, and Al was pretty sure he saw Granny’s temple throb. 

“Next time, I’m going to be giving you two a bath instead of Winry.” She finally managed to say, in an irritated tone. 

“What?! Why?” Brother shrieked in protest. 

“Because Winry is better behaved than the two of you.”

Ed’s argument fell to the ground, and he quickly moved onto a different topic.

“I’m hungry. Can we have dinner?”

“The nerve of this boy.” Granny whispered to the ceiling. Al wasn’t sure who she was talking to, but he thought it looked funny. 

“Go sit by the fireplace, and I’ll bring you something to eat you ungrateful little runt.”

“Hey! I’m not little.” Ed yelled.

Granny snorted. “Hon, you’re about as tall as a stack of pancakes.”

“Who are you calling small, you miniature sized hag.”

“Micro-sized brat.”

“Grandma flee.”

Granny bopped him gently on the head, being sure to ruffle his hair extra good before leaving them to their own devices. 

Ed and Al were now dressed in their PJs, clean, dry and warm. They grabbed a few blankets from off of the couch and sat next to Winry by the fireplace.

She was watching the radiant golden red flames flicker when they approached. 

“Hey. What took you guys so long?” She asked, handing each of them a chocolate chip cookie.

“Ed tried to drown me.” Al explained.

“I did not.”

Winry laughed, wrapping her arms around both of their shoulders and pulling them close to her. “Thanks for hanging out with me today. It’s so much more fun to play with friends than to play by myself.” 

“Well we’re available anytime. All you gotta do is walk over to our house.” Ed smiled.

“Yeah or give us a call.” Al suggested and Winry rested her head on his shoulder. 

Granny reappeared with a tray full of plates and they ate their dinner by the fire while telling her all about their day. 


	2. The Weeping Willow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winry has a deep conversation with Ed on the branch of a willow tree above a lake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going off the original FMA which says Ed get’s his automail at 11, and not 10. So this takes place before that.

Ed: 10

Winry: 10

The Weeping Willow. 

“I thought I might find you here.” Winry said, climbing up the gigantic willow tree that stood a few miles south from her house, right above a beautiful lake, to the place where Ed sat. 

The sun was setting, casting a fiery glow across the sky, and Winry could see her sparkling reflection dancing off of the water below. 

“Hey, I showed you this spot. You can’t use my own hiding spot against me.” Ed said, his voice flat, but laced with hidden emotion. Winry reached the branch right next to him, and sat on the piece of wood that stretched over the lake. 

It was true, Ed loved this spot, and he showed it to Winry one day when she was crying over the death of her parents. After that day, it became _their_ spot. But more importantly, it was a **hiding** spot, covered by a protective strand of leaves that no one could see through unless they were on the other side of the lake. This was the perfect spot for when they found themselves in trouble and they needed a place to go while Granny cooled down. It was also the perfect place for privacy. After all, they called it a weeping willow for a reason, right? 

“You don’t need to hide.” Winry said as she swung her legs idly. Her brown sandals hung loosely by a withered strap, and she hoped they wouldn’t fall into the lake as she swung her legs. 

“Well I can’t go home, can I?” He snapped, the sunlight casting a fire-like reflection in his seething eyes.

“Of course you can. Don’t be stupid.”

Ed scowled at her, and the pain on his face was unmistakable. She was taken aback, words dying on her lips when she saw how hurt and defeated he looked. This wasn’t like Ed. He never let a fight get the best of him like this. 

Scoffing softly, in what Winry assumed was self-deprecation, Ed turned his head towards the setting sun, staring out into empty space. She studied him for a moment. His blonde hair, which was growing longer everyday, was messy from the tumble he took down the hill, and his knees were scraped through the tattered holes of his black leather pants. He was clearly upset, that much Winry was sure, but she didn’t know why. She did, however, have a hunch. 

“Al isn’t mad.” She informed him, but Ed’s face twisted in disgust. 

“Well I am.” He shouted, smacking his hand against the branch that supported his weight. It wobbled along with his lower lip. This was the branch that he slept on when he didn’t want to go home. The branch that he played hide-and-go seek with. The branch that he jumped from when playing in the lake. Edward loved this branch, and his eyes immediately stung with remorse after he slapped it. 

“True. You are mad... but not at Al. You’re mad about something else, aren’t you?”

Ed shook his head, smiling sadly at his bare feet. “He’s such an idiot.”

“Who? Al?” 

Ed nodded, tilting his head to the sky to stare at the rolling clouds. 

“Why do you say that?” Winry wondered if she should touch his shoulder the way grandma did whenever he would cry. Come to think of it, he hasn’t cried in a long time. 

“Cause he is.” Ed gripped the tree bark tightly, glancing straight ahead at the sun. “He’s an idiot for believing in _HIM_.”

“You mean your Dad?”

“No.” Ed snarled through clenched teeth, his hand squeezing even tighter against the bark. “No, Dad is a word you use for the people who actually stay in their children’s lives. That bastard left us. He left us, and Al still believes he’s going to come back.”

Winry didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t everyday that Ed opened up about his father. That subject had always been a sore spot for Ed, one in which Winry avoided the same way she would avoid punching a bruise on his leg. There was no need to go and make wounds worse. But Ed was inviting her to poke the bruise now, and she was worried that her response would make things worse.

“Why can’t Al see that he’s never coming back?!” Ed squeezed his eyes shut, shouting at the lake, too scared to face Winry while having this conversation. It was a miracle he was even talking about his father at all. “That bastard didn’t even go to our mother’s funeral. I HATE HIM.” Ed screamed so loudly the birds squawked, flapping their wings, and fleeing to a more peaceful spot in the distant trees.

Immediately following this outburst, Ed panted heavily, and squeezed his fists into tight little balls in front of his chest. “I mean, it’s bad enough I got my hopes crushed thinking he might return someday, but now I gotta listen to my little brother go through the same thing.” Ed pounded his fist against his thighs repeatedly until Winry snatched them. 

His startled little gasp was cut off by Winry’s soft but stern shushing. “You have to let Al make his own mistakes. He’s never going to grow if you’re constantly shielding him from everything.”

Ed ripped his hand away violently. “Shut up!” He yelled so loudly his face was turning red. “Don’t tell me how to take care of my little brother! You don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Ed, would you just listen to me.”

“I’m not going to let him get hurt the same way I did!” 

“He won’t see it as you protecting him. And honestly, Ed, you can’t tell him how to feel. If Al wants to believe in your father, then that’s his choice. I know you want to protect him, but it’s only going to hurt your relationship in the long run. Let him figure it out on his own.”

Ed huffed a deep breath, and the tension in his shoulders dissolved. He was back to looking defeated, and extremely vulnerable. There was something else on his mind, Winry could see it. But Ed wasn’t letting whatever private thought he had spinning around in his head show. He was punishing himself by keeping it buried inside. Winry saw the torment written all over his face, and she knew she needed to help him let it out.

“What’s wrong?” 

Ed jerked. He was so lost in his thoughts, that the question caught him off guard. Glancing at Winry through his bangs, he opened his mouth then closed it shut just as quickly. She waited, but he shook his head mutely, determined not to speak. 

“Ed, you can tell me anything. You know that. Come on, we’re best friends. We share secrets all the time. I promise you, I won’t tell anyone.”

He gulped back a lump in throat before whispering something so quietly, Winry couldn’t hear no matter how hard she tried. 

“What did you say?”

“I was good.” He repeated, staring at Winry with pleading eyes. “And he left me.” 

“Ed...”

“Why?” He asked so sincerely it cut Winry to the core. He was genuinely asking what he did wrong that made his father leave. How could Winry answer something like that? 

“I was good. I did what he said. I never stayed out too late, or yelled at mom. Sometimes I would fight with Al, but we always made-up! I just don’t understand what I did to make him stop loving me. If I knew what it was, I would fix it, I swear. I would fix it.”

“He loved you.” Winry informed gently, feeling the need to correct him on this. “Trust me, Ed. I remember when your Dad visited Granny, and I overheard them talking about you, and he said you and Al were the best things that ever happened to him.”

Ed’s face crumpled like a pastry, and he drew his knees to his chest, making the branch shift with his weight. But he forced himself to breathe, forced his face to relax. “If he loved us then why would he leave?”

This was a good question. Something Winry wasn’t sure she could answer, but she had to try. Quickly, her mind flashed to the book her mother used to read to her every night before bed. It was about a town full of people, and each chapter told a story from a different character’s point of view. 

“Maybe he had a reason for leaving. One that we don’t know about?” She said, and Ed sniffled, digging the palm of his hand across his honey colored eye. “Because we aren’t him. You know? It’s like when you read stories, and you know how the main character feels because you are seeing it from their point of view. Like the princess who was trapped in the tower, you can’t imagine why anyone would trap her until you read it from the witches’ perspective. 

And then you start to realize why the bad guy might do bad things.”

The cool air nipped at Winry’s fingertips, and ruffled the tree’s leaves, sprinkling some colors all around them. Ed was chewing on his fingernails, seeming to be once again lost in thought, but this time it didn’t seem to be tormenting him. 

“But this is real life,” Winry continued. “And we don’t get to read your Dad’s point of view. So we just have to believe he had a good reason for leaving.”

Ed nodded his head slowly. “Yeah... but what if he didn’t?” 

“Then how do you explain what he said? He said you are the best thing that ever happened to him?”

Ed’s forehead crinkled, and for a brief second Winry saw his lower lip tremble, but he quickly resolved himself, and let out a long breath, sighing shakily at the sky. “I guess I should apologize to Al, huh?”

Winry shrugged. “He understands the subject was a sore spot, and he already said he wasn’t mad.”

“Ah, I still feel like I owe it to him to admit that I overreacted. I don’t like fighting with him.”

Winry smiled, “I know. That’s cause you’re an amazing older brother.”

A slight blush creeped up on Ed’s face, and he nudged Winry’s shoulder. “Thanks for talking to me, mechanic wannabe.”

“Any time, alchemy freak.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :)


	3. Pushing it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But tonight. Tonight, Ed was pushing all of Pinako’s buttons and she was going to lose her damn mind. She just wanted him to finish his supper, and somehow it turned into an all out war.

Pinako tried, she really tried to cut him some slack. Honestly, she was a tolerant woman. She let the Elric boys destroy her home with their dirty clothes, dirty dishes, and dirty feet. They often leave their alchemy circles drawn all over the place. Books are never put back where they belong, and at dinner there is often arguing, swearing, and back-talking and Pinako tolerates it all. Really, she should be considered a saint for putting up with what she does. And as of recently she has been extra tolerant, letting a few snappy responses go, because she knows just how much Ed and Al were hurting. 

They were worried about their mother’s well being, and rightfully so. Trisha had come down with a terrible illness and was stuck in bed these past few weeks without any signs of getting better. In fact, she seemed to be getting worse. It’s been hard for the boys to watch, but they were dutiful sons, and they sat by her side all day and all night with the exception of going to school and going to Pinako’s house to wash up and eat. So with that came bad tempers, and Pinako understood this. She tolerated this for the most part.

But tonight. Tonight, Ed was pushing all of Pinako’s buttons and she was going to lose her damn mind. She just wanted him to finish his supper, and somehow it turned into an all out war. It started with Ed slamming the front door when he walked in, and went to him almost stabbing Al’s fingers with a fork. He would never try to take his anger out on his younger brother, but Al was complaining about their mother’s illness and Ed just snapped. 

Needless to say he got a face full of mashed potatoes. Pinako had to separate them, and that’s when she realized Ed hadn’t even touched his supper. He refused to eat the chicken, saying he was tired of the same thing, so she tried to get him to eat his vegetables at the very least, and he refused. 

That’s when she threatened him with a classic she had grown up with: “you are going to stay at this table until that food is gone.” 

And so that’s where they she was now, two hours later, still stuck in the damn kitchen waiting for one very stubborn boy to eat. 

Speak of the devil, Ed shoved his plate far away from his face and scowled. “I told you. I’m not eating these damn carrots. I need to get back to the house, old woman.”

Pinako was wiping down her counter top, keeping herself busy so she wouldn’t strangle the irksome little brat. 

“And I told you, your mother wants you to eat your supper. She left me in charge of you while she gets her rest and I expect you to eat your food.”

“I already ate my food, you blind old bat.”

“Then why do I still see some left?”

“I don’t want to eat carrots. I’m not hungry anymore and I’m not in the _mood_.”

“I thought milk was the only thing you refused to consume. Are we adding carrots to the list.”

“I want to see my mom! You can’t keep me away from her.” Ed snapped, going immediately for the sympathy card that has worked every time he used it in the past. Well not today. Pinako was done giving into him. His behavior was completely out of control, and she needed to be firm. 

“Ed, she’s sleeping. That’s what Al said when he called ten minutes ago. You aren’t missing anything. Now eat.”

“I can’t believe you let my little brother go without me.” Ed complained, his lips tightening into a frown. 

“That’s because Alphonse finished his meal and didn’t swear all supper long.”

“I knew it. You’re just mad that I called you a bitch.”

Pinako slapped her rag on the counter. “I think I made it pretty clear I don’t want to hear that word come out of your mouth ever again.”

Ed crossed his arms. “I’m too old to be sat at this table like a toddler. I’m not sitting here.”

Pinako scoffed at this. Ed was eight years old. He was in the perfect age ranger for the current punishment he despised so much. Really, Pinako didn’t even view keeping him at the table as a punishment. She just wanted the boy to eat something more than a piece of cranberry bread. He refused to eat the chicken saying he was tired of having the same thing. Pinako tried to push him to eat it, and he ended up throwing it in the trash. So Pinako loaded up his plate with carrots and green beans and told him to eat that instead. Once again, Ed refused. 

“You’ve been nothing but stubborn since you got home from school today.” She spoke out loud her thoughts. “Did something happen?”

Ed narrowed his eyes. “No.” He growled, pushing back his chair so it balanced on two legs instead of four. Pinako had warned him a million times to stop doing that, he could fall and hurt himself like Winry did. But clearly Ed didn’t care as he lazily balanced the chair before slamming it down on all fours. The sound was like nails on a chalk board.

Pinako squeezed the rag in her hand until her knuckles turned white. “Then why are you acting like this?” 

“Because you’re being a bitch.”

“Edward Elric.” Pinako raised her voice louder than she had in a long time, and it seemed to catch Ed off guard. He flinched and then gulped with growing trepidation as Pinako dropped the rag and began to move towards him. 

Ed slid back to the edge of his seat, while keeping his eyes locked on her as she approached. Once she was standing directly in front of him, Pinako gripped his chin in her hand and tilted it towards her. 

“You say that word one more time, and I swear you won’t like the consequences.”

Ed didn’t say anything after his chin was released, which was a smart move in Pinako’s book. Instead he went back to playing with his food - something he was doing all evening - pushing it around on his plate and separating it into smaller piles. As much as Pinako loathed this, she accepted this as his apology and went back to her rag. 

When Pinako was thirteen years old she realized cleaning was her way of venting. She took out her frustrations with a rag, or a broom, and she usually felt better. But the kitchen was now spotless, and Pinako had a job to do, so she decided to pull out some scraps of Automail, and get to work assembling them. She couldn’t waste time just because one little kid was behaving like an imp. 

Ed stopped playing with his food when he heard a bunch of metal parts clanging around. He looked up through his hooded bangs and glowered. 

“You’re staying in here?”

“Of course. I’m not leaving until you eat.” She laughed, knowing full well the second she left his plate would be thrown in the trash. 

Ed fumed at these words, his grip on his fork tightening. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you get some sick joy in watching me suffer.”

“I highly doubt eating your vegetables is a sufferable task.”

“Stop treating me like I’m four.” Ed shouted, holding his fork like a spear. 

“I will when you stop acting like it.” 

Ed lost what little containment he had over his emotions. He flung his fork onto his plate causing a wretched cling-clang sound to echo. With Ed, Pinako learned a long time ago that situations like this escalated because he viewed them as a challenge. It became a battle of wills, and Ed had a strong will running through him. He wasn’t going to give up until he got what he wanted. And in this case, what he wanted seemed to be anything that went against what Pinako wanted. _Oh the_ _joy._

Winry came rushing into the room a few minutes later wearing a bath robe and fuzzy slippers. Her long blonde hair was dripping wet, hanging over her shoulders, and she was carrying a stuffed animal in her hands. 

“Granny, have you seen my radio?”

She paused when she saw Ed, her hand self-consciously pulling the robe tighter against herself. “What are you still doing here?” She asked accusingly, as if the boy had somehow planned to catch her in a bathrobe. 

Ed snorted scornfully, “Oh trust me. I don’t want to be here. The old hag is making me stay.”

“Don’t call my grandmother a hag, you jerk.”

“Well maybe she shouldn’t be such a bitch, and then I wouldn’t call her a hag.” 

Pinako, who was fetching Winry’s radio in the other room, heard this comment, but decided she would let it slide one more time since she wasn’t in the room. _Ed was hurting_ , she reminded herself. He was only acting like this because his mother was sick, and things were looking hopeless, and he was tired. 

Pinako knew this was a hard time for the boys, so she gave herself a small metal pep talk before reentering the room with Winry’s radio. 

But when she got there, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. 

Her granddaughter was cringing, her head titled at a ninety degree angle and Ed was yanking her hair. Hard. 

“Ow ow ow! Stop it.” Winry cried, trying to free herself, but Ed’s grip only grew stronger, and Winry yelped. 

“Enough! Stop it right now.” Pinako shouted, moving over to disentangle the two of them. 

“She started it!” Ed exclaimed angrily, pointing his finger a Winry’s trembling form. 

Pinako could tell her granddaughter was shaking with anger not fear.

“YOU JERK!” She screamed, petting back strands of her hair. “That really hurt.” 

“You shouldn’t have kicked me.” Ed snapped.

“Yeah, well you deserved it.”

“Winry -“ Pinako began, but the girl whipped her head around and gave her pleading eyes. “Granny he called you a - a -a really mean word.”

Pinako sighed, and handed Winry her radio. “Run along, dear. I’ll talk to Ed about this.”

“Feel free to use your wooden spoon.” She said while giving the boy her most smug glower. 

Ed matched the glare but without the smugness, he was bristling. Like a kettle of corn, he was ready to pop. Winry scurried upstairs and Pinako turned her disapproval onto Ed.

“You pulled her hair?”

“She started it!” He screamed. 

“You really are acting like a little boy. This is getting ridiculous.” 

“I am not.” He grunted. 

Pinako was really losing her temper now. She could feel it slipping away like a piece of thread falling through her finger tips. 

“Eat your damn supper, and shut your mouth. I don’t want to hear another word outta you.” 

“No.”

“Ed. Do you want a spanking?”

His face turned scarlet red, and the next thing Pinako knew, his plate of food was thrown to the floor. Her mouth dropped open, flabbergasted that he would stoop to such violent antics. Pinako had no idea what was bugging this kid, but she was done dealing with his behavior. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She moved towards him fast and Ed bolted up from the table backing into the wall. 

“No.” He said firmly, but his breath hitch when she grabbed his arm. “No no no! I’ll eat my food. I’ll eat my food.”

“You just threw it on the floor.” Pinako snapped, pulling him close to her, so she could reach his puny backside. 

“I’ll make another plate.” He said quickly, trying to appease her. For the first time tonight Ed was agreeing to do what she wanted, but only because of the looming threat she had over him. Pinako debated what to do next. Gazing into Ed’s wide pleading eyes, she decided to let him grab another plate. Maybe she was an old-softy, but she just couldn’t bring herself to discipline the boy - not when she knows how much pain he must be going through. She’s lost her son. She knows grief when she sees it. Even if Ed’s version was drastic. 

“Fine. But don’t waste anymore food, you understand me? Food cost time, money, and effort. It’s not to be thrown in the trash or on the floor. You understand?” 

Ed was already at the refrigerator, opening the container of left-overs and pouring them onto a new plate. “Yeah, I understand.”

Pinako sighed heavily, watching him. This boy made her feel twice as old as she was. It was no wonder she had grey hairs. Her own son, Yuriy, was a handful, but even he wasn’t this ill-tempered. 

Ed left the container opened and on the counter, but he took his seat at the table with his brand new plate. Pinako counted to ten in her head and cleaned up after the boy. She could remind him to clean up after himself later. Now wasn’t the time. 

They were back to where they started over two hours ago. Ed sitting in the hardwood chair, staring at his food, and not eating while Pinako was cleaning cause dammit to hell, she needed some way to cope.

“Does your stomach hurt?” Pinako asked, trying to think of any reason in the world why Ed might be acting so ridiculously obstinate. 

Shaking his head, Ed took one quick bite of his carrots and then stood. “Okay. I ate. I’m going to go now.”

“Nah, ah-ah.” Pinako snapped her boney fingers at him. “Sit your scrawny butt back in that chair and finish.”

“I don’t want to!” Ed shouted. “I already took a bite. This is _so_ stupid.”

And Pinako was about to cave. She really was. She was going to let this relentless, atrocious, terribly behaved boy go without eating his supper because she wanted the peace and quiet. 

If Ed was that determined to starve himself to death then far be it from Pinako to stop him. 

But then she thought of Trisha. How disappointed Trisha would be if her son grew up thinking he could get away with anything if he pitched a fit. Besides, it was Trisha who asked to make sure Ed are his supper in the first place. She was worried about the boy’s weight, and rightfully so. The boy was a twig. It was a miracle he still had his baby fat or dear Lord the boy would be a skeleton. 

Pinako knew, with Trisha so sick, she was now going to be responsible for raising Ed. Whether or not Ed knew it yet, didn’t matter. What mattered was she needed to raise him right.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“No.” Ed yelled. His temper was the problem. If he would just listen to reason...

“Then why not? What is bothering you? Talk to me, Ed. Use your words, don’t pitch a fit. Is my cooking not good enough? You develop a hatred for carrots or somethin’?”

“No, I just don’t like being here.”

Pinako was reminded of their earlier conversation. “Right. You said you want to see your mom. But I told you, Trisha told me to make sure you ate. I’m serious, Ed. These are her orders, not mine. She wants you well-fed.”

“Then why are _you_ the one giving me dinner? Why can’t my mom cook?”

This was what Pinako was talking about when she said she knew the Elric brother’s were having a hard time with Trisha’s illness. It seemed everyday it took something from Ed and Al. Made them act out in different ways. 

“Oh Ed,” she said sympathetically. But Ed was having none of her comfort. He pushed Pinako’s hands away the second she came near him. “Get away from me, old hag. I don’t want you to hug me.”

“Ed, it’s okay to hurt.”

“I’m not hurt! I’m not hungry. I don’t want to be here, and I don’t want you to touch me! Just get the hell away from me.” 

“Okay. Calm down.” She back away a few inches, keeping her eyes on him. She waited until his breathing calmed then sat in the chair next to him. This whole thing seemed so pointless and out-of-control now. Pinako was at a loss of what to do. Part of her wanted to let the boy go home. She felt wrong keeping him away, but at the same time, another part of her was screaming to put her foot down. It was Trisha’s voice in the back of her head, begging to make sure her son ate something. Begging for Pinako to properly care for her child while she couldn’t. 

Pinako was always a babysitter to the Elric boys, and Trisha gave her permission a long time ago to punish them, and care for them as if they were her own. So Pinako thought about her own son, and how they would make compromises.

“How about this, Ed. You eat half your plate and I’ll let you go? Sound good?”

The boy shook his head stubbornly. 

“Just do it!” Pinako slapped the table. Once again she could picture a thread slipping from her grasp. She needed to hold on a little while longer. 

Ed was fuming at Pinako’s outburst, his jaw clenched tightly. In a swift motion he scooped a spoonful of carrots into his mouth than then, to Pinako’s disbelief, he spat his food at her face. 

The thread fell. Slipped through the cracks of her mental sanity. It was gone. She was done. As tolerant of a woman as Pinako Rockbell was, being disrespected in such a manner, was a line that she would not let him cross. 

“Okay.” Pinako said, clicking her tongue. “Up you get.” 

She tugged his arm, pulled him by the sleeve of his long white t-shirt, and Ed fumbled to his feet before actively resisting. “What are you doing?” He asked timidly. Pinako took his place in the chair and pulled him over her lap.

“No! Granny stop! I don’t want this.”

“No, but you need it.” She followed her response with a swat, and Ed gasped. 

“You... you bitch! I don’t need this.”

“If you keep swearing at me, I’ll give you one of these every night this week!” Pinako threatened delivering another harsh blow to the seat of his pants. 

“Okay. Fine. I won’t swear at you.” He kicked instinctively. “Just don’t do this.”

“Uh-huh. Just like you promised ten minutes ago you were going to eat, right?” She raised her hand again, very high, and brought it down even harder.

“Ow!” Ed cried out, “Knock it off, Granny.”

Pinako applied a dozen more forceful swats to the under-curve of Ed’s bottom and was rewarded with a genuine yelp of remorse from her adopted grandson. 

Pinako stopped a moment and rested her hand on Ed’s lower back. “You need to learn to control your temper and think before you act. You and your brother seem to think it’s okay lately to break all the rules and cause mischief around here, so I’m going to remind you that behaving like a brat is not acceptable.” She peppered his backside with unyielding smacks, wanting desperately for the message to sink in to that thick skull of his. 

“Now I know you have a lot going on, Edward.” She paused her spanking, and Ed sucked in a breath of relief. “I am aware of everything that is happening. Remember, I am the one who gives your mother her medicine. I am the one who takes care of you and your brother right now. I’m the one watching you boys while your mother rests. I know how sick she is, and how scared you must be. But Ed. This behavior. It’s not helping. Your hurting the people around you that are trying to help. Luckily today it was just me... and somewhat Winry. But what if you lash out at Alphonse next? You need to control that temper.” She gave him a smack.

“Okay!” He lurched forward. “I get it. I’m sorry.”

“Are you!? Or are you sorry I’m whipping your tiny hide right now?” 

“Both.” Ed muttered, gripping her ankle when she resumed the assault on his bottom. “Ah, Granny. Please. That’s enough. Come on. Ow! It’s really starting to hurt.”

“Good.” Pinako said, never once raising her voice. She, unlike Ed, had control over her emotions and she was delivering this spanking methodically rather than ballistically. 

“I want up!” Ed’s voice was sounding desperate now, but Pinako had learned her lesson about giving into those pleading eyes. She tipped him forward to wrap thing up, but made sure to land the worst of it on the place where he would be feeling it every time he sat. 

“Are you gonna behave?” She asked, pausing. 

“Yes.” Ed muttered meekly. He was doing a phenomenal job at not making any noise during the whole ordeal. There was no fussing, no crying, no whimpering. He was biting his sleeve to keep himself from crying out. 

“Are you going to eat your vegetables?” 

“Fine.” Ed growled, still a bit of fight left in his system. Pinako could continue, but she let him up, feeling as though he’s taken enough. 

Once he was released, Ed took a step back and looked up at Pinako, his lip between his teeth. His eyebrows drew together and he looked as though he might breakdown and cry for the first time tonight, but he composed himself fast. 

“That was mean,” he whispered gently, not meeting Pinako’s eyes. 

“You don’t think you deserved it after spitting at me?”

Ed cringed. “Sorry.” 

“It’s alright.” She sighed and took a good long look at him. He was skin and bones, with dirty bare feet, and dark circles under his eyes. 

“Ed, you haven’t been sleeping or eating at all, have you? That’s why Trisha told me to make sure you ate. Honey, she’s worried about you.”

With those words, Ed let out a sniffle, looking shamefully at his feet. He sat at the table without making one sound and stuffed a large spoonful of mushed carrots in his mouth. 

Pinako took a seat across from him and Ed whispered. “I’m eating.” As if she couldn’t tell. 

“I see. Thank you.”

Ed continued to eat fast and rushed.

“Ed...” Pinako trailed off when he looked up at her with his golden irises. She was going to ask him if he wanted to talk about why he was so upset, but her plan curbed when she saw that face. Making him talk about Trisha was only going to hurt him more. Lord knows he’s suffered enough for one day.

“I want you to know that I love you.” She said instead. Whatever Ed was expecting her to say, it certainly wasn’t that. He froze with the fork halfway to his mouth. Then he snorted, and with a smile said, “I love you too.”

“You can always talk to me, Ed. You know that right?”

Ed nodded and stuffed the fork in his mouth. “I actually am hungry... I didn’t realize... can I have some more?”

Pinako chuckled softly and ruffled his hair. What was she going to do with him? “Yes of course.”

She caught him grimace for a moment when she returned with a second plate of food. His first plate was polished clean, so as far as their agreement was concerned, 

Ed was a free man. But he was staying of his own free will now. Ready for more food.

“I’m sorry I was such a jerk.” He must be feeling guilty now. It was like a giant spell was lifted off of him, and he was back to normal. Pinako felt so relieved. Maybe he was cranky because he was starving! 

“You weren’t trying to be a jerk. You just have a temper - reminds me of myself if I’m being honest.”

“You had a temper?”

“Oh yeah.” She laughed, memories of her youth reigniting in her brain.

“Did you ever get spanked because of your temper?”

“Oh yes. Many times.”

Ed nodded, stuffing his face full of the left-over chicken. “I promise I won’t take it out on Al.” He whispered a moment later. Pinako had forgotten she had said that, but it clearly resonated with Ed. 

“I know you won’t, little speck. You’ll control that temper, I know you will.”

“How do you know?” Ed asked softly. He was worried himself with how he’s been acting lately. 

“Because you’re stubborn but determined, and that makes a good combo for when you want to do something right.”

Ed thought about this for a moment and then he nodded. “I’m going to leave now, if that’s okay?”

“Yes, of course. You tell your mother I said hi when she wakes.”

“Okay. And you tell Winry I said sorry for pulling her hair when she wakes.” 

“Deal.”

She watched from the window as Ed traveled along the dirt path in his bare feet looking truly like a little speck of sand. At least he was a fed speck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :) I know Ed’s really acting out in this one, and maybe it’s out of character, but we all know he’s stubborn and I think with everything happening to his mother, Ed could have acted in this way. He strikes me as the type to be angry first before sadness and maybe even before denial. 
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoyed! Pinako and Ed are one of my favorite relationships to explore because I feel like there is a lot that the series doesn’t show, but also with what we do see, Ed and Pinako had to have formed a very strong relationship over the years. So it’s with great pleasure that I try to write them! 🤗


	4. Craving Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winry has a nightmare and talks to her grandma. Mentions of grief.

Outside her bedroom window, crickets were chirping quietly, harmonizing with the soft hums of the household machinery that could only be heard at night. Winry laid in bed, wide awake, with sweat clinging to her pink pastel nightgown. She had a damp ring under her armpits, and her hair was matted to her forehead. Everything around her was pitch black, despite a tiny slice of light peaking through her curtains which revealed a single line from her bed to her door.

It was here, in the darkness, that Winry was having an internal debate about waking her grandmother. She was so mad at herself for not being able to go back to sleep, but after the nightmare she just had, sleeping was the last thing on her mind. She had too much going through her head, she needed to talk to somebody, to get it out of her system. She really needed the company. But the only person to talk to was grandma, and Winry didn’t want to wake her. Not for something as stupid as keeping Winry company after a bad dream. 

Because Winry wasn’t a baby anymore, for Pete’s sake. She could take care of herself. 

And there lied the debate. 

She must have gone back and forth with herself a hundred times. But at last, Winry decided to drag herself out of bed and tip-toe across her floor until she was standing in the hallway. But then she paused and had another debate about this stupid idea. At last, she managed to stand in front of her grandmother’s door. Very slowly, cautiously, she pushed it open. The last thing she wanted to do was startle her grandma. 

She paused in front of the lump in the bed, biting her lower lip. She felt so terrible for what she was about to do. Waking people from their slumber was never something she enjoyed, because she knew from personal experience just how awful it felt. 

But Winry didn’t want to be alone. Not tonight. Not when her mind was a thousand different places. She needed someone to calm her down. She needed her family.

“Granny?” She whispered, hoping that would be enough to wake the sleeping woman, but more quiet snores could be heard, and the lump was still rising and falling steadily. 

“Granny?” She said a little louder, this time moving closer to her grandmother’s side. “Hey, Granny. Can you wake up?” Winry hesitantly reached for her arm and gave it a little shake. “Granny?”

Instantly, the older woman jolted, and awoke with a startle. She seemed to calm the second she realized Winry was standing in front of her. 

“Huh?” She grunted, plopping her head back onto her pillow. 

“Sorry to wake you. But I - I know I’m too old to come to you for nightmares but - well - this one was really bad.”

There was a pause, and Winry was starting to feel incredibly self-conscious about her choice. She was thirteen-years-old. She should be able to handle a little nightmare. But before she could dwell on her embarrassment, Granny sat up. 

“You’re never too old to come to me. I don’t care if you’re thirteen or thirty.”

Winry’s smile brightened. “Can I make us some coffee?”

“Yes. Lots of it.” Granny said, moving to get out of bed. “We’re going to need the whole pot.” 

As Winry rushed into the kitchen, and flipped on a light switch, she noticed the floppy ears of her best companion perk up as he lifted his head off the wool blanket.

“Hey boy, did I wake you?” Winry asked as her dog stood and moved towards her with a happy pant. 

“How about I give you a biscuit?” She took out a jar and Den was wagging his tail. She handed him the treat, then moved to the coffee pot where she placed coffee grounds inside and heated the water until it was boiling. 

Once she made the coffee, Granny had taken her outside onto the porch and they sat facing the green corn fields, waiting for the sun to rise. It was peaceful, and Winry immediately felt her body relax in the brisk morning air. 

“So what was your dream about?” Granny asked causally, sipping her coffee, but the bluntness startled Winry from her gaze. 

“Oh,” Her eyes drifted towards the mug in her hands. “It was nothing, just some bad memories and...” Winry bit her lip. “I got this bad feeling in my gut.”

At Granny’s raised eyebrows, Winry knew she needed to explain more, but she wasn’t sure how to explain the feeling. 

“It’s Ed and Al. I can’t explain it, but I think they’re in trouble.”

Granny’s hands tightened on her mug. The veins on her hands were always visible, but they were turning a shade of dark purple rather than the cool blue color. 

“I’m sure they’re fine.” Winry rushed to say. “But... I’m just worried.”

“You needn't worry about them, Winry. Those boys will come back to us, just like they always have.”

Winry tried to smile at those words. Those were the words she wanted to hear. But the truth was, Winry’s parents were supposed to come home too, and they never did. The worst part was, on the day she found out they were killed, Winry had the same gut feeling the night before. She had been nauseous and she thought she was getting sick. But the next morning she awoke completely fine, until she heard the news. 

“I just wish there was someway we could know how they were doing. I hate that they don’t write.”

“They’re busy, I’m sure.” Granny began to rock gently in her porch chair. 

“I bet they’re being reckless again.” Winry huffed, and Granny let out a loud laugh.

“I’m sure they are.” 

“But what if they get hurt again?” Winry asked. “How are we supposed to know? I don’t want to wake up one morning and get a letter saying they died being reckless.”

“Winry. Is this about Ed and Al, or is this about your parents?”

“It’s the same thing!” She snapped, standing to her feet. Winry didn’t realize how angry she was until she began talking. All this time and they never really talked about Ed and Al leaving. They never talked about _that night,_ how Ed and Al nearly killed themselves trying to bring back their mother. How they burned down their own home. How they ran off to join the military that took Winry’s parents’ lives. 

They never talked about any of it, and Winry thought she was okay. But those feelings and thoughts have been buried inside her and they were coming out in her dreams because she was repressing all of her feelings. She couldn’t do that anymore. 

“How could you let them go?” Winry’s voice shook with rage. “After everything that happened with my Mom and Dad, how could you let them become state alchemists? Don’t you care about them? I thought you looked at them as your own grandsons. How could you let them risk their lives like this?” 

When Winry finished her tirade, she felt like a balloon inside of her was deflating. It felt good for a second and then the emptiness was immediately replaced by guilt. 

Granny placed her mug onto the end table and looked up at Winry. “It’s simple. Those boys were going to do it whether I gave them permission or not. I figured the least I could do, was show them they still had a home to come back too should they ever need us.”

“But,” Winry angrily swiped at the water stinging her cold cheeks. “You could have tried to talk them out of it. They care about you, and you’re the only parental figure they’ve got now. They would have listened.”

“Yes, and maybe that’s more of a reason why I didn’t.” Winry felt her jaw drop open, but Granny continued, “I’m going to be frank with you. A piece of those boys died that night. They were never going to be the same again, physically and emotionally. They were broken, and the only thing that re-ignited a spark inside them was the idea that they could fix their mistake. It gave them hope. So no matter what I said, I knew those boys were going to go on this crusade of theirs, and I wasn’t going to stop them because I figured it would be better for them to die chasing hope; than to live like they were already dead.”

Winry felt her throat constrict with emotions. “I just want them to come home to us.”

“I know,” Granny whispered, and Winry sat back in her chair. “I know.”

“It’s not fair,” the girl whispered watching sadly as the dew on the grass glistened in the reddish light. “They just wanted to see his mom smile again. I would have done the same thing, if I knew how. Grief can make you do the most stupid things.”

Granny nodded, watching the sky. She was so quiet, but she always listened.

“Is it okay... if I still am grieving my Mom and Dad? Even if it’s been years?”

“Grief has no end. It gets less noticeable but it never goes away.” Granny whispered. “I still miss my parents, I miss my son. I miss your mother, I miss Trisha, and I miss those boys. But I remember what I’ve got, and I remember they’ve given me. And I know one day, I will see them all again, just like we will see those boys again, in the flesh. I have faith, Winry.”

The sun was rising in the east, casting a golden glow on the side of their house, and Winry smiled. The feeling in her gut faded, and was replaced with a calming serenity. Wherever Ed and Al were, she knew they were going to be okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry, I just threw this together last night when it was really late and I couldn’t sleep myself. So I haven’t really had the time check for errors. I’m sure they’re are quite a few. But I hope you enjoyed this little look at Winry’s life. :) I’m going to write the next chapter about Trisha, and Winry’s parents and the kids when they are all toddlers. It will hopefully be fluffy! 
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading! :)


	5. A toddler tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pinako, Sarah and Yuriy visit Trisha and Hoeinheim with a basket of banana bread and some money as a thank you note for Trisha sending them apples and fresh fruits that she grew in her garden. The tiny tots get to hang out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “You can hug them you know. They are your sons.” - Trisha.   
> “I don’t want the monster to spread.” - Hohenheim.  
> “Please. If it could spread that way don’t you think I would have caught it a long time ago?”

Winry: 3

Ed: 3

Al: 2

Yuriy and Sara Rockbell departed the train to Resembool twenty minutes ago and were currently hiking the never-ending dirt paths of their home town when they finally spotted their yellow painted house sticking out in the green planes like a sore thumb. 

Den, the stray puppy they had rescued not even a month ago, was yapping his little head off as they approached the front porch. 

“Hey buddy,” Yuriy leaned down to give Den a pat, and scratched his ears while his wife, Sara, knocked on the front door.

It was yanked open a moment later by little hands. There she stood in her maroon colored sundress, with a white t-shirt underneath: their Winry. Their beautiful little girl.

Screaming filled the air as Winry flung herself at Sara’s legs and wrapped her in a bear hug, squeezing and shouting. 

“Mommy! Daddy!” She jumped up and down, running over to give Yuriy the same hug, but he lifted her into the air and twirled her around. The sounds of her giggles elated him. 

“Hello baby.” He said and he kissed her cheek. “How have you been?”

“Good! So good, Daddy. I have so much to tell you.”

“I want to hear all about it.” Yuriy said, sitting Winry on his hip. His wife, Sara, was stroking her hand up Winry’s back, relishing the contact. 

“Yuriy is that you?” Yuriy’s mother, Pinako, came out of the kitchen with a pipe dangling from her lips, and her hands on her apron. “Oh good lord. It really is you.” She spat the pipe out of her mouth and tossed it to the trash can. 

“Don’t get too excited Mom. We have to go back soon. The war’s not over, and they need as many surgeons as they can get. We’ll leave in a couple of days.” Yuriy explained before giving his mother a kiss on the cheek. 

Pinako rolled her eyes while smiling. “Can’t you let me have one minute of happiness before telling me you’re leaving again.”

“Sorry.” He turned his attention back to Winry who was snuggling her head against his shoulder. 

“Hurry and get washed up. Winry and I were just about to surprise the Elrics’ with a freshly baked loaf of banana bread.” 

“It’s better than cake, Daddy!” Winry exclaimed, clapping her hands. “And I’m going to get to play with Ed and Al, and then we’re going to eat something better than cake, and it’s not even my birthday!”

Yuriy chuckled and petted Winry’s short blonde hair away from her face. “That sounds marvelous, darling.”

“What are we thanking the Elric’s for?” Sara asked with a small chuckle. “Don’t you think it should be the other way around since you were the one that delivered their babies.”

Pinako waved off the idea, laughing. “Oh Trisha thanked me for that a long time ago, and then she realized what a handful those boys were and now I’m sure she despises me for delivering those runts,” Pinako joked, rolling her neck back and forth. “No, in all honesty, I want to thank her for giving me a basket of fruits and vegetables every month this year. It made cooking a lot easier, and I never had to worry about our pathetic excuse for a garden not providing us with food over the winter. Plus, your daughter is a picky eater and if it wasn’t for the fruit, I would be worried she might starve.”

“Sounds like she takes after her old man.” Yuriy grunted proudly and Sara slapped his shoulder before pulling him in for a kiss. 

It didn’t take long for the Rockbell’s to wash-up, and change into comfortable clothes. Before long, they were standing in front of the Elric’s little tiny farm house with the basket of banana bread. It was a quaint, two story house, painted white with green around the windows. There was a large tree to the right that held a wooden swing from it’s branch, and to the left their was a huge garden with a green fence around the parameter. It was perfected for the family of four with who Yuriy had grown to love like his own. 

“Are you sure they’re expecting us? The light isn’t on.” Sara whispered after they had knocked. 

“Of course they ain’t expecting us.” Pinako said. “I told you it was surprise, didn’t I?”

“What if this is a bad time? We don’t want to put them out.” 

Before they had time to dwell on that thought, the door opened. Trisha Elric was wearing her usual purple colored dress and white apron, while holding a basket of laundry in one hand, and her youngest son in the other. 

“Sara! Yuriy! Oh what a wonderful surprise. How long have you been back?” Trisha dropped the basket of laundry to the ground and kicked it to the side, while shifting Al in her arms. 

“We just got back,” Yuriy titled his head back, smiling up at Trisha, “and well, my mom wanted to thank you for all the help you have given us this year with the vegetables, so we figured we would come by and say thank you.” 

Pinako extended the tray of banana bread as an offering and Trisha’s smile grew. 

“Wow! That smells amazing. Please, come in. Sorry, the house is a little messy. Two boy, you know how that goes. Well, you can imagine anyways.” She blushed, and led them into her home. The house wasn’t that messy. A few toys scattered here and there, and some dirty dishes in the sink, but other than that, the place was spotless. Trisha was too hard on herself. 

In fact, the inside of the Elric’s home was almost as quaint and cozy as the outside. The walls were painted green, and there were picture frames all over the place. So many photos of the boys were lining every inch of the hall, it was adorable. 

Speaking of the children, Al was in his mother’s arms this whole time wearing a onesie with a binki in his mouth. He was staring at Yuriy with wonderment, and a sad smile crossed Yuriy’s features. Did the boy even remember him? He’s been gone for so long and Al had been so young. He was most likely a stranger. 

“How old are your boys now, Trisha?” He asked curiously once they entered the kitchen. 

“Edward is three, and Alphonse is two.” She kissed Al’s cheek and placed him on top of a wooden chair in the kitchen that had pillows stacked on it for the boy to reach the table. 

“Please, take a seat. I’ll go get some spare chairs from the basement.” She said gesturing to the table. She took the banana bread from Pinako’s hands and set it in the center of the table, removing her bowl of fruit to the side counter. 

“Take your time, Trisha. We didn’t mean to disturb your evening. If you want we can come back another time.” Sara said, but Trisha shook her head frantically.

“Nonsense! You picked a fine time to show up. I’m so thankful to have neighbors like you. Just let me find the rest of my family and grab those chairs. I’ll be right back.”

With those words, Trisha scrambled out of the kitchen, leaving Pinako to fetch the plates out of Trisha’s brown kitchen cabinets while the others made themselves at home. 

“Mom.” Yuriy scolded softly, slipping his jacket over the back of a chair. “What are you doing?”

“Getting plates for the bread, what does it look like I’m doing.” 

“Have you lost your manners in your old age?”

“Have you lost the proper way to speak to your mother?” Pinako shot back, with an eyebrow raised. “I didn’t think so.”

Rubbing at his tired eyes, Yuriy knew it was no use trying to talk his mother out of anything, so he turned his attention to Sara and Winry. 

“It’s just how I remembered it.” Sara whispered. “Oh Trisha and I used to sit in this kitchen every Wednesday when we were both pregnant and drink lemonade while discussing baby names.”

Winry looked up at her mother with bright blue eyes. “We’re you pregnant with me, mommy?”

“Yes dear. And Trisha was pregnant with Ed.”

“He was first, wasn’t he?” Winry huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Yes, Ed was born first.” 

“Stupid head.” She whispered under her breath. “He always wins at everything.”

Yuriy and Sara laughed. 

“Don’t you worry Winry, you followed not long after. Just a couple of months later and Ed had you as a playmate. We used to put the two of you in the same crib together and watch you sleep. It was adorable.”

Winry beamed with the praise. “I was a good baby right?” 

Yuriy remembered the first week as hell week. Winry was colicky baby for the first week, screaming and crying over everything unless she was being held or bounced, but after a little while she settled into an angelic child. Ironically, Trisha seemed to have the opposite experience. Ed was the most well-behaved baby on the planet. You could lay him down and he would sleep immediately, for long hours, never waking anyone up at night. He was content with playing quietly by himself; and he was always happy. At the time, it seemed unfair, but as fate would have it, Ed hit the terrible twos hard; and Winry never entered that phase at all. 

“Yes, sweetheart. You were an excellent baby.” Yuriy kissed the top of Winry’s head and Al, who was watching, started clapping his hands together. 

A moment later, and Trisha returned to the kitchen with two heavy wooden chairs, and no husband in sight. 

“Oh dear,” Sara jumped up to help, and Yuriy did too. “You shouldn’t have carried those by yourself.” Sara scolded softly, guiding Trisha to a seat. “We would have helped.”

Trisha smiled gratefully at Pinako who placed a large pitcher of water on the table. “It was no trouble, really. My foot’s just sore from bumping into that suit of armor we have downstairs. That thing is so big, it takes up half the room.” Trisha poured herself a glass, and then began filling everyone else’s glasses as well. 

“Is Ed here? I told him to come into the kitchen.”

“No, we haven’t seen him yet.”

“Oh, that boy.” She muttered under her breath before shouting. “EDWARD.”

Little feet could be heard prancing on the steps before Ed entered the kitchen in his navy blue t-shirt and white shorts. 

“I’m here, Mom.” He said running over and hugging her legs. 

“Hey little man. There you are. Guess who came to say hi.” 

Ed turned his bright golden eyes onto the Rockbells and then his mouth broke out into the largest smile. “Winry!” 

He ran to Winry’s side, tackling the girl with a hug. They almost fell on the floor, but Winry used the chair to steady herself. Once she regained her balanced, she wrapped both arms around Ed’s neck, and squeezed him tightly. 

“Ed! Ed! Ed!” Winry squealed, “Guess what?”

“What?” He asked, sounding just as excited. 

“Granny made a piece of bread that tastes better than cake!”

“Really? No way. That’s not possible.” Ed brushed her away as if she were telling him fibs. 

“That’s what _I_ said too! But then I tried it, and it’s true! It’s _soooo_ good, Ed. You have to try some. Come on, try some.”

“Okay! Mom, can I have some cake- bread?”

Trisha chuckled and grabbed Ed under his armpits before depositing him on a chair. 

“It’s called banana bread, and of course you can. But first, we have to thank Mr. and Mrs. Rockbell.”

“Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Rockbell, and Granny.” He said added as an after thought, knowing that Granny Rockbell was the real cook. He’s sat with her before, multiple times, while she was baking. Sometimes if Ed was a good boy he would even be allowed to lick the spoon. 

“You’re welcome, Ed.” Pinako whispered, ruffling his hair, before walking over to the counter to grab a knife for the snack. 

“Will this be enough chairs? I figured I could hold both my boys on my lap and then maybe that would be enough.” Trisha babbled, looking pink in the face and flustered. 

“It’s perfect Trisha. Thank you for having us.” Yuriy said, mouth watering as he watched his mother cut the bread and place slices onto each plate. The aroma of sweet strong starch and cinnamon banana hit his nostrils. His mother had to be the best cook in all of Resembool. Yuriy might be biased because it was his mother, but he had other mother’s home cooked meals before, and nothing seemed to compare to Pinako’s cooking. He was undoubtedly spoiled. 

“Where’s Hohenheim?” Pinako asked after giving everyone but herself a piece of bread. 

“He’s in his study working. That man is always researching something, I swear.” Trisha laughed, but it sounded uneasy, almost nervous. 

“Is everything alright?” Sara’s response was prompted by Trisha’s nervous laugh, but it was hardly their place to ask such a question.

“Oh yes. Everything’s fine.” Trisha grinned. “My husband’s just been... distant from myself and the boys lately. I worry about him. He puts too much pressure on himself. But don’t worry!” She quickly added the last part. “Everything’s fine. Isn’t that right, little man?” She tickled Ed’s tummy and then did the same to Al. The boys erupted with laughter and it was enough to ease the tension. 

But Yuriy didn’t like the idea of a man not stepping up in the family and supporting his wife and children. He was taught never to judge another person, but at the same time, he was also taught the responsibilities of taking care of a household. A father should be there for his children, and as far as he knew, Hohenheim never even touched his boys. 

“Has he held the boys yet?” Yuriy asked, and the tickles to the boy’s tummy’s stopped, along with their laughter. Yuriy gulped, realizing his error when he saw his mother give him a scolding glance. 

“Mmm,” Trisha hummed around the food in her mouth before swallowing. “This is so good. Thank you.”

Another breath of relief. Trisha was a master of avoiding tension. 

“I couldn't have made it without your fruit and vegetables,” Pinako exclaimed, lifting Al up into her arms and sitting in his chair. 

“Granny,” Al gurgled around his binki. She kissed the top of his head, and picked up a tiny piece of bread for him. After a few moments of Al staring, he finally realized the bread was meant to go in his mouth, and he spat out his binki, taking the banana bread instead. 

The small group of friends and family sat together and ate until their stomach’s were full and they were feeling tired. The adults cleaned up while the children went outside to play. Trisha and Sara kept an eye on them through the window, and when it got too dark they brought the children inside. Yuriy knew that in a few days he was going to be leaving his family again in order to save as many lives as he could. It was hard leaving his daughter and mother. But knowing that they had friends, like the Elrics, to keep them company eased Yuriy’s mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you so much for reading. :) If you ever like any of these chapters, feel free to let me know in the comments, and if you want to see more chapters like this one also let me know. Or maybe you really enjoyed Ed and Pinako’s relationship and you want to see more chapters like that. Or maybe a chapter from Winry’s point of view, or one from Hohenheim’s. Let me know what you guys really like to see, and I might write more of it! I already have a lot of different ideas that I will write, but if I know what you prefer, then I can focus on that in the future. Of course, I really do enjoy writing from all different points of view so I’ll probably get to everyone before the story is over. :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading and as always feel free to chat with me about the story below if you want! 
> 
> \- lots of love

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think in the comments below. I love chatting! :)


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